This invention relates generally to a cleaner apparatus, and more particularly to an improved cleaning blade and drop seal actuator and seal in a cleaning system.
In the process of cleaning a photoreceptor or photoconductor, a cleaning blade is used to clean the imaging surface and toner is removed from the imaging surface which accumulates at the cleaning edge of the cleaning blade. As a result, toner contamination of the xerographic area occurs when the cleaning edge of the cleaning blade is retracted from the imaging surface. The toner that has accumulated at the cleaning edge falls down the imaging surface length during retraction. The toner contamination may result in copy quality defects and decreased operating efficiency of various xerographic components. In order to achieve engineering reliability, service and customer satisfaction goals improvements in cleaning blades and seals are desired to reduce such toner contamination problems.
The following disclosures may be relevant to various aspects of the present invention and may be briefly summarized as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,966,565 relates to a cleaning seal with a soft cleaning seal tip that provides a seal between a cleaning housing and a photoconductive member in an electrophotographic machine. The cleaning seal is made of a relatively stiff material so that the cleaning seal can collect and support toner removed from the photoconductive member. In the absence of the soft cleaning seal tip, the relatively stiff material of the cleaning seal contacting the photoconductive member excessively scratches the photoconductive member. The soft cleaning seal tip solves this problem by providing a relatively soft surface on the photoconductive member, resulting in fewer scratches on the photoconductive member. The composite cleaning seal provides sufficient force to remove and support the toner removed from the photoconductive member while cushioning the force of the relatively stiff cleaning seal against the photoconductive member.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,442,422 relates to an apparatus for cleaning an imaging surface with a hybrid cleaner that includes the implementation of a contamination seal in a cleaner unit. The contamination seal captures falling accumulated toner from a blade edge and in a brush nip, due to gravitation, which contaminates the xerographic area when the cleaner blade and disturber brush are retracted from the imaging surface. The contamination seal rests along the length of a blade portion that extends from a blade holder. In this position, the contamination seal does not touch the imaging surface to cause scratches nor does it interfere with the blade""s ability to clean the imaging surface. Implementation of the contamination seal contains toner emission within the cleaner from the blade edge and brush nip.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,910,560 relates to a cleaning device provided with a blade adapted to contact the peripheral surface of a photosensitive drum and wipe residual toner off of the photosensitive drum. A duct is disposed separately from the blade, and is adapted to remove the toner wiped off by the blade by air suction. In the interval between the blade and the duct, there is disposed a sealing member which serves to prevent ambient air from entering the duct through the interval. This sealing member is fixed either on a stationary region of a holder for the blade or on the basal end part of the blade integrated with the holder or on the outer surface of the duct, and contacts the duct if mounted on the holder or the blade, or contacts the blade or holder if mounted on the duct.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,608 relates to a cleaning method which includes a cleaning blade being brought into pressure contact with a photoconductor at least prior to the movement of the photoconductor, and moving the cleaning blade away from the surface of the photoconductor after the movement of the photoconductor is stopped with completion of a copying process. A stationary seal member allows uncleaned toner on the photoconductor to pass therethrough but does not permit the toner removed by the cleaning blade to pass therethrough.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,400,082 relates to a cleaning apparatus for removing toner remaining on a moving photoconductive member which has a resilient blade in bearing contact with a surface of the photoconductive member and reciprocatingly movable laterally of the direction of movement of the surface, a seal member provided at each end of the photoconductive member and having a width in the direction of the lateral movement of the blade equal to at least the range of lateral movement of the corresponding end of the blade, a seal member being disposed in contact with the rear seal member being disposed in contact with the rear surface of the blade in the range of lateral movement of the blade end. Toner particles are thereby prevented from falling from the blade off the end of the photoconductive member.
All documents cited herein, including the foregoing, are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
In embodiments, there is provided an electrostatographic apparatus including a first member having a length, a first end, and a second end. The first end is for removing particles from a photoreceptor surface. The first end is adapted to move from an operative position contacting the photoreceptor surface to an inoperative position spaced from the photoreceptor surface. The second end is adapted to pivot and includes a second member associated therewith. A third member is spaced from the first member and has a length and a free end. The second member is adapted to contact the third member as the first member is moved to an inoperative position causing the third member to move an angular distance.
In other embodiments, there is provided a customer replaceable unit including a cleaning blade assembly having a first end and a second end. The first end is for removing particles from a photoreceptor surface. The first end is adapted to move from an operative position contacting the photoreceptor surface to an inoperative position spaced from the photoreceptor surface. The second end has a protrusion thereon. A seal including a length and a free end is adapted to move from a first position to a second position as the first end of the cleaning blade assembly moves away from the photoreceptor surface and the protrusion contacts the seal at a position located a distance from the free end.
In further embodiments, there is provided an apparatus for cleaning particles from a surface including a cleaning blade for removing particles from the surface. The cleaning blade is adapted to move between an operative position contacting the surface to remove particles therefrom and an inoperative position spaced from the surface. The cleaning blade includes a free blade end movable between the operative position and the inoperative position, and a pivot end for rotating about a pivot. A seal is movable between a first position and a second position in response to a protrusion on a portion of the pivot end moving in contact with the seal to urge the seal in the direction of the surface. The seal comprises a flexible sheet chosen from the group of materials consisting of polyester thermoplastics, polycarbonate, polyurethane, polyethylene, and polypropylene.
In yet other embodiments, there is provided a cleaning station for cleaning toner from an endless photoconductive member in an apparatus including a cleaning housing. A cleaning blade assembly is supported by the cleaning housing. The cleaning blade assembly includes a first end and a second end. The first end is for removing particles from a photoconductive member. The first end is adapted to move from an operative position contacting the photoconductive member to an inoperative position spaced from the photoconductive member. The second end includes a protrusion thereon. A seal includes a length and a free end and is sufficiently stiff so that the seal can support the toner removed from the photoconductive member. The seal is located after the cleaning blade has removed the toner from the photoconductive member. The seal is movable from a first position to a second position as the first end of the cleaning blade assembly moves away from the photoconductive member such that the protrusion contacts the seal at a position located a distance from the free end.
In other embodiments, there is provided a method of preventing toner contamination including: accumulating toner from a photoconductive surface on a free end of a blade, the blade comprising a pivot end including a protrusion thereon; and rotating the free end of the blade away from a surface causing the protrusion on the pivot end to pivot and contact the seal urging the seal to move toward the surface.